Automatic shut-off valve.



G. A. FULLIPP.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12.1006.

- 6929mm. (5001 50 .a: 075 9 PATBNTED APR. 30, 1907.

GEORGE A. FULLIPP, OF EAST MGKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed June 12,1906. Serial No. 321.332.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. FtiLLIrr, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at East WcKeesport, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Shut-Off Valves, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to automatic gas regulating valves, the objectbeing to provide a valve which will automatically close and lock whenthe gas pressure is reduced, so that the gas supply will be entirely outoff until the valve is released by hand.

Itis well known that cases of asphyxiation frequently occur by theextinguishing of gas lights or fires caused by a reduction of thepressure, a subsequent increase of pressure permitting the gas to escapefrom the extinguished burner.

The present invention'aims to avoid this danger, by providing a valvewith means for automatically closing the valve, and locking it in closedposition when the normal pressure of the gas is reduced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a regulating valve withan indicator, which will show whether the valve is in open or closedposition.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter,in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of thisspecification, and its novel features will be defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawing, Figure l is a front elevation of the valve casing withits indicator plate, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is avertical section taken on the line 00-50 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a top planof the device with parts removed, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of theweighted lever and locking tumbler employed, Fig. 6 is a detailelevation of the valve and a part of its stem, showing the means forsecuring the valve to the stem, and Fig. 7 is a top plan of the valve,the stem being shovui in horizontal section.

The reference numeral 1 designates the valve casing provided with abeveled valve seat 2 to receive a correspondingly beveled valve 3,secured to the lower end of a stem 4. The two ends of the casing 1 areinternally threaded for the attachment of suitable inlet and dischargepipes (not shown) and the top of said casing is provided with aninternally threaded opening 5 to receive-a closure cap 6 having adepending annular threaded flange 7 to lit the opening.

The cap 6 is formed with a central opening for the passage of the valvestem and the upper surface of said cap is formed with a circular recess8 to receive a plug 9, centrally bored to permit the valve stem toextend through it, and having a packing 10 to prevent leakage of gasaround the stem.

Projecting centrally from the cap 6 is an integral block 11 to theopposite sides of which are secured by screws 12 a front plate 13, and aback plate 14. Said plates are secured to each other by screws 15 and acasing 15" and from the inner faces of said plates project oppositelydisposed hollow studs 16, 17 and 18, arranged in pairs to serve asbearings for shafts 19, 20 and 2]., said shafts being squared at theircentral portionsas shown in Fig. 5.

Pivotally mounted upon the shaft 21 is a lever 22 which extends througha slot L3 formed in the valve stem, and is provided near its free endwith a retracting coilspring 24, one end of said spring being secured tothe lever, and the opposite end thereof to the inner face of the frontplate 13.

The free end of the lever 22 is formed with a notch 25 adapted to beengaged by a dog 26 pivotally supported upon the shaft 19, and carryinga weight 27, adapted to strike against a stop pin 28 when the dog isdisengaged from the notched end of the lever. The shaft 19 upon whichthe gravity-dog is mounted extends through the front plate 13, and tothis extended front end of said shaft is pivotally attached, alinger-piece 29, by means of which the dog is turned to release it fromongagement with the lever 22.

Upon the upper shaft 20 is fulcrumed a bent lever 30 to one end of whichis secured a weight 31. The other end of this weighted lever isconnected by a link 32 to the notched end of the lever 22, the ends ofsaid link being pivotally secured to said levers. Depending from thecentral bearing 33 of the lever 30 and pre'ferably'formed integraltherewith, is a hook-shaped locking arm or tumbler 3 L, adapted to bearagainst the upper end of the valve stem to lock the latter and the valveagainst upward movement.

The shaft 20 extends through the plate 13, and carries at its front end,a finger-piece 35 for turning said shaft and a pointer 36. Suitablemarks, such as the arrows shown in Fig. 1 are placed on the front plateto indicate the position of the valve. When the pointer is in thehorizontal position shown in the Fig. 1, it indicates that the valve isclosed and locked, but when the pointer is in a downwardly inclinedposition, pointing to the lower arrow it indicates that the valve isopen. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the manner of securing the valve 3 to thestem 4. The upper surface of the valve 3 is formed with a horizontallydisposed U-shaped flange 37 having an undercut groove 38 to receive acollar39 formed on the lower end of the stem 4. After this collar hasbeen slipped into the groove 38, the stem is secured by a cross-pin 4Ofitting alined openings formed in the ends of the flange. A transversepin 41 projecting from the plate 14 serves as a guide for the stem 4.

The utility and operation of the device constructed as thus described,will be readily understood. WVhen the valve 3 is seated, the mechanismwill be in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the locking dog 26 inengagement with the notched end of the lever 22, and the locking arm ortumbler resting upon the upper end of the valve stem. Thus the valve islocked, and will remain seated until the dog is released by means of thefingerpiece 29. When the dog 26 is released from engagement with thenotch 25 the lever 22, the locking arm 34 is moved from its lockingposition on the upper end of valve stem 4, which is accomplished byturning the shaft 20 by means of the finger piece 35 connected to theouter end thereof. If the pressure of the gas on the lower face of thevalve 3 exceeds the tension of the spring 24, the valve is free to beraised under the pressure of the gas, and is held elevated in theposition shown by dotted lines, the levers 22 and 30 and locking arm 34being also held in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, theparts remaining in said positions so long as the pressure of the gasremains normal or of a pressure sufiicient to over-come the tension ofthe spring 24. I/Vhen, however, the fiow of gas ceases, or the pressureis reduced materially below the tension of the spring 24, the latterpulling down on the free end of the lever 22, engages same with the dog26, and the valve having moved to closed position, is held in itsposition by dog 26 engaging with the lever 22, and locking arm ortumbler 34 engaging with the upper end of the valve stem 4.

While the construction herein shown and described is simple andeffective, the invention is not restricted to all of the details shown,but includes all such modifications and variations as may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in theclaims.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.. In a regulating valve, the combination with a valve casing, valveseat, and valve, of a stem extending above the casing, aspringoontrolled lever fulcriimed above the casing, and connected tosaid stem, a gravity-dog to engage said lever, and a pivoted lockingarm, adapted to bear against the upper end of the valve stem, and aconnection between said lever and locking arm.

2. In a regulating valve, the combination with a valve casing, valveseat, and valve, of a valve stem extending above the casing, a plateprojecting upwardly from said casing, a spring-controlled leverfulcrumed on said plate, and extending through the valve stem, agravity-dog to engage the freeend of said lever, a weighted leverfulcrumed upon said plate, a locking arm or tumbler carried by saidweighted lever, and a link connecting said levers.

3. In a regulating valve, the combination with a valve casing, valveseat, and valve, of a closure for said casing, a valve stem extendingthrough said closure, a vertically disposed plate extending upward fromsaid closure, a lever fulcrumed on said plate and extending through thevalve stem, a retracting spring for said lever, a weighted dog adaptedto engage the free end of said lever, a weighted lever fulcrunied onsaid plate, a locking arm, depending from said weighted lever, a linkconnecting said levers, and an indicator pointer carried by the pivotalsupport of said weighted lever.

4. In a regulating valve, the combination with a valve casing, valveseat, and valve, of a closure cap for said casing, a block projectingfrom said cap, a valve stem extending through said block, parallelplates secured to opposite sides of said block, a lever fulcrumedbetween said plates and extending through a slot in said. stem, aweighted dog adapted to engage a notch in one end of said lever, aretracting spring for said lever, a weighted lever fulcrumed betweensaid plates above the valve stem, a curved locking arm depending fromsaid weighted lever, and a link connecting said levers.

5. In a regulating valve, the combination with. a casing, a valve seat,and valve, of a closure cap for said casing, a block projecting upwardfrom said cap, a valve stem extending through said block, parallelplates se cured to opposite sides of said block, hollow studs projectingfrom the inner sides of said plates, shafts supported in said studs, alever fulcrumed on one of said shafts and extending through said valvestem, a gravity-dog mounted on another of said shafts and In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature adapted to engage the freeend of saidlever, in the presence of two witnesses.

a retractin s ring for said lever, a weighted. 1 lever fuleri uried inthe remaining shaft, a GEORGE FULLIPl' locking arm depending from saidweighted Witnesses:

lever, a link connecting said levers, and a O. KLOSTERMANN,

finger-piece on the shaft of the gravity-dog. MA; H. SROLOVITZ.

